Just when it seemed every possible misery had befallen Zimbabwe, a fresh horror has broken out: Cholera.

Just when it seemed every possible misery had befallen Zimbabwe, a fresh horror has broken out: Cholera.

This is as close to a man-made plague as the world is likely to see.

Having destroyed his country's economy, ruined its once-productive farms, undermined its health-care system and wrecked its sanitation infrastructure, President Robert Mugabe almost invited a lethal epidemic to move in.

So far, the disease has claimed more than 800 victims. With the rainy season approaching, the death toll could explode.

Other African countries are closing their borders, hoping to confine the infection to Zimbabwe. Western leaders are calling on Mugabe to step down.

Canada is "reviewing its aid programs to respond effectively to the rapidly evolving situation."

That isn't good enough for Liberal MP Keith Martin, a former emergency room doctor who has travelled to Africa 26 times as a physician, parliamentarian and member of various conflict intervention teams.

Rather than wait for Ottawa to act, he has pulled together his own relief mission. Working with Health Partners International of Canada, the philanthropic wing of the pharmaceutical companies, Martin has arranged to get 15 skids (40-foot shipping containers) of medical supplies to Howard Hospital, north of Harare. The hospital is operated by the Salvation Army. Its chief medical officer is Paul Thistle, a Toronto-born and trained obstetrician.

The skids contain rehydration fluid, intravenous equipment and antibiotics. Treating cholera is not difficult, Martin explained. But it has to be done quickly.

If the disease is in its early stages, it is essential to get the person to drink plenty of clean water mixed with a pinch of salt and a cup of sugar. If the individual is experiencing massive diarrhea and vomiting, he or she needs IV rehydration immediately.

"It's simple stuff," Martin said. "But there is no time to lose."

He has tried to get CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) to help. But he made no headway.

"I went to the most senior people in the organization. I was told `it's the end of the year, we can't do it,'" a frustrated Martin recounted. "I pressed and the only answer I got was `sorry, we can't help right now.'"

The Victoria MP doesn't need the federal bureaucracy to get the first shipment airborne. Health Partners International will pay for the flight and World Vision will look after the ground transportation.

But he does need money to airlift the second shipment of 15 skids. He has spent the past few days trying to round up donations.

It exasperates him that CIDA, which claims on its website that it spent $8.5 million in Zimbabwe last year, can't come up with a nickel now. "We've done all the work. We have the supplies, we have the contacts and still they are unable or unwilling to respond."

Nonetheless, Martin is pushing ahead. He hopes to convince Engineers without Borders to send a team in with the medical supplies to ensure that people have access to safe drinking water. That is the best way to prevent cholera.

He is also working with CUSO, which sends volunteers overseas, and the Canadian Medical Association to get medical professionals into Zimbabwe to assist the country's beleaguered health-care workers.

It has taken Martin four days – plus an on-the-ground knowledge of Africa – to get this far. It will probably take CIDA four months to catch up, if it decides to move.

The 48-year-old doctor-politician would love to go to Zimbabwe and pitch in himself, but he can't. "I'm persona non grata there. I've tried for years for get Mugabe indicted for crimes against humanity."

He wishes there were diplomatic strings he could pull, but since there aren't, he is focusing on ways to get others into Zimbabwe.

Martin is fuelled by adrenalin and an overwhelming sense of urgency.

"Canada is in a unique position to prevent this catastrophe and save many lives," he maintains. "If we fail, thousands of people will die of an entirely treatable disease."

Carol Goar's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

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